Promises
by XxLynChanxX
Summary: Going off to war, everyone makes promises. A lot of times, a promise is made that someone just can't keep, no matter how hard they try.One-Shot written because I needed to do something with Gavroche. GavrocheXOC. Rated T because I'm paranoid.


**AN: There may be slight variations from the musical/movie productions.**

_**~XoXo~**_

"You will come back after tomorrow, won't you?"

"Course I will! We'll win this revolution and I'll come home same as I am now. I'll be a war hero. Then I can use the money I'll be gettin' to take you to a doctor about your illness," Gavroche promised. Rosemarie smiled and took Gavroche's outstretched hands. Her young twelve year old heart fluttered.

"I'll be waiting for you, Gavroche." Rosemarie said as seriously as she could. Gavroche had to return. The soldiers were cruel men, but they wouldn't kill a twelve year old boy. Gavroche would come home. She was sure of it.

"You can still tell your father to help us. The more we have against the soldiers, the sooner we'll win and be rid of the king. Then we don't have to worry about the revolution anymore, and we can get you medicine. Ask him, Rosie." Rosemarie felt her face flush at the use of her nickname, and she faced the ground.

"I told you, Gavroche," she mumbled. "My father refuses to take a side. He is against the king as well, but he fears that joining you and the others would result in his death. He's afraid, and I don't want to upset him."

"We're going to win, Rosie," Gavroche said, squeezing her hands lightly. "He doesn't have to worry," There was a light in his eyes that caused Rosemarie to blush slightly.

"Stay with us," Rosemarie begged. "I'm afraid for you, Gavroche. I'm afraid that a soldier might hurt you by mistake. I don't think they would kill you, but you never know. Please, Gavroche, stay with us." Gavroche released Rosemarie's hands, his eyes suddenly cold.

"You know I can't do that, Rosemarie." The sudden use of her full name shocked Rosemarie. Gavroche never called her 'Rosemarie'. "I have to go with them. I support the revolution as much as them. I might support it even more than they do. I can't just stay indoors while my friends risk their lives."

"You're too young! My mother thinks you're making a mistake,"

"She ain't _my_ mother," Gavroche spat. "I'm going with them, and I'll do what I can to help. I thought you understood,"

"I do, Gavroche, but I'm afraid," Rosemarie tried to grab Gavroche's hands, but he pulled them away from her.

"I told you when we met," Gavroche's voice shook slightly. "I told you that I was working with some older guys to get rid of the king. I told you that getting rid of the king for the benefit of others was most important. I told you I was fighting with them."

"They wouldn't let you be there," Rosemarie tried.

"They've already promised that I could be at the barricade." Rosemarie felt tears burn in her eyes. She didn't want Gavroche to go. She wanted him to stay with her, safe where he belonged.

"Please," she whispered. "Please stay with us." Gavroche saw the first tear roll down Rosemarie's cheek.

"Oh, Rosie, don't start crying." Gavroche pulled Rosemarie into an awkward hug. The girl laid her head on Gavroche's shoulder despite the filthy clothes he wore. "I'll be fine."

"Please, come home." Rosemarie said as she pulled out of the hug. "I'll be waiting for you to come back safely." Rosemarie kissed Gavroche's cheek, ignoring the fact that he hadn't cleaned his face in months. She didn't care how filthy his face was. She loved him, and she needed him to come home.

_**~XoXo~**_

Rosemarie watched at her window as the students ran around the town, stacking furniture. She scanned the crowds for Gavroche, but she couldn't see him anywhere. She prayed that he had decided to remain hidden in his elephant statue instead of joining the students at the barricade.

"Rosemarie, what are you doing? Get back here before anyone sees you!" Her mother hissed. "I don't want you by the window. They're stirring up too much dust. I can't have the dust irritating your disease." Rosemarie shut the curtains, but left a small enough opening for her to peek into the streets. A small boy past the window, but his hair was too dark for the boy to be Gavroche.

"I'm worried, Mama." Rosemarie said quietly. "I'm worried for Gavroche."

"He's making a mistake. He's too young to be fighting." The older woman shook her head lightly. "I just wish his parents knew what he was doing. They would keep that boy indoors where he belongs."

"Even if his parents did know, or cared, they couldn't stop him. It's something he believes in, Mama. He's willing to die for this. He won't give up just because his Mama or Papa told him to stay home." Rosemarie watched as the furniture piled high, creating a wall. One of the students was running up and down her street, asking families for furniture. Behind the student was a boy with filthy blonde hair.

"Gavroche, I have something for you!" Rosemarie called out the window. "Wait here," she grabbed a nearby chair and raced out the door. "It's not much, but it could help."

"Every bit counts," Gavroche said, giving her a lopsided smile. "Enjolras, we got another chair!" The student that had been running returned to Garvoche and took the chair. He shouted a quick 'thank you' as he ran to take the chair to the barricade.

"Good luck," Rosemarie said to Gavroche. She felt tears sting her eyes again and threw her arms around Gavroche. The boy put his arms around her and gave her a light squeeze. Rosemarie kissed his cheek again and faced him. "I'll be here waiting as soon as you win." Gavroche smiled and kissed Rosemarie's forehead, causing the girl's face to grow hot.

"When we win, I'm gonna make sure everyone knows that I won for you." Gavroche whispered. "I'm going to win for you, Rosie."

"Gavroche, let's get a move on!" The student known as Enjolras called. "There'll be plenty of time for your little girlfriend tomorrow, when we're free!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Gavroche called. He turned back to Rosemarie and looked her in the eyes. "I'll win for you, Rosie." He promised.

"I'll be right here, cheering for you." Rosemarie vowed. "When you win, I'll be right here, waiting. Now go and be the war hero I know you can be." Gavroche smiled his lopsided smile and ran off to join Enjolras. Rosemarie watched him go, tears rolling silently down her face. She watched him until he was out of sight. She didn't even dare to blink. After all, this could be the very last time she would see Gavroche.

_**~XoXo~**_

Gunshots echoing across the city woke Rosemarie. She bolted out of bed and ran to her window. She had a perfect view of the barricade there, and her eyes strained to see through the dark. Her heart raced as she tried to see what was happening. Gunfire echoed in her ears and she prayed for Gavroche. Suddenly, the gunfire stopped. Soldiers retreated and Rosemarie tried to see around the barricade. She had to know if Gavroche was alright.

A shadow dashed across the night, drawing Rosemarie's attention. Her eyes darted to the figure and she watched as it ran. She blinked and it was gone. She blinked again and the shape was across the street from her, sneaking into a house. A while later and it was leaving. Rosemarie eyed it carefully, trying to figure out who it could be. Before long, the shape was sneaking into the barricade. It wasn't long until another shape left the house and joined the first figure at the barricade. Rosemarie's eyelids drooped, and she returned to her bed. Another gunshot echoed, but she couldn't bring herself to the window. If Gavroche was dead, going to the window would not bring him back.

Rosemarie's dreams took her to a place where the revolution had ended. She ran to the barricade and into Gavroche's arms. He picked her up and spun her around. The people of Paris cheered. They cheered for the end of the king, and they cheered for the survivors. Rosemarie threw her arms around Gavroche's shoulders and kissed his cheek, only Gavroche turned his head so she caught his lips instead.

The dream quickly became a nightmare as a swarm of soldiers began to shoot from above. Rosemarie's heart stopped as a bullet shot past her ear. Gavroche shoved Rosemarie aside as another bullet was shot. The world became slow motion as the bullet tore into Gavroche's side. The boy fell to the side, clamping his hands over the open wound.

Rosemarie awoke to the sound of her screaming. As soon as she woke, she realized she had been dreaming. Gavroche was alive. He hadn't been shot. He was still at the barricade, and he was still alive. Rosemarie looked out the window and her heart stopped. The soldiers were going down the streets. Each one of them carried a gun. Rosemarie knew that Gavroche and his friends had few guns, little ammo, and a handful of people.

"Gavroche, get out of there while you can," Rosemarie whispered. "You don't have to win this. You just have to come home," Rosemarie pushed the window open, hoping for a sound that would tell her if Gavroche was alive. She waited for what seemed like hours before she heard a voice carry across the silent city.

"_And little people know when little people fight,"_

Rosemarie knew that voice. She returned her attention to the barricade where she could see a figure that could only be Gavroche. He was standing with dead bodies, picking something off them and putting them in a bag.

"_We may look easy pickings but we got some bite!"_

Rosemarie heard a gunshot and she held back a scream. The bullet had missed. The figure that was Gavroche continued on.

"_So never kick a dog because he's just a pup,"_

A gun fired again, and this time it hit. Gavroche's arm jumped to his shoulder. Rosemarie was frozen in place. Gavroche still did not stop.

"_We'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up!"_

Gavroche threw the bag over the barricade and stood tall, facing the soldiers.

"No…" Rosemarie knew what was happening. "Gavroche, no…" tears made her vision blurry.

"_So you better run for cover_ _when the pup grows…"_

A third gunshot rang out and Rosemarie didn't need perfect vision to know what happened. The third bullet found its intended mark. Gavroche's figure, now silenced, collapsed to the ground.

_**~XoXo~**_

"Mama, this is my only chance to see the body before they dispose of it forever," Rosemarie sobbed. "I have to go,"

"Rosemarie, your health is far too poor for you to leave the house now. I know he was important to you, but I can't risk you getting even sicker than you are now."

"I already know I'm dying." Rosemarie said quietly. "I heard the doctor weeks ago, before the battle at the barricade. This is my dying wish, Mama. To see Gavroche one last time...even if it is just his body." Rosemarie didn't wait for a response. Instead, she left the house without a word.

The streets of Paris were still bloodstained, and very few people were outside. The ladies in the street were gossiping as they tried to scrub the blood out of the pavement. Rosemarie looked to the sky, not wanting to see the blood. She knew that some of the blood belonged to Gavroche. To see his blood was to accept his death, and Rosemarie would never do that.

"Where are you going, little girl?" A voice called.

"I'm going to view the bodies…the ones that got rescued from the sewers."

"You're about the age of the little one…did you know him?"

"I knew him well. I'm going to say my final goodbye to him before he's gone forever."

"I'm sorry for your loss. The bodies are down this street here and then take the next right." The man pointed at the street and Rosemarie nodded. She thanked the man and continued on, her head down. Gavroche's song echoed in her head, bringing more tears to her eyes.

"I don't think this is the place for a little girl," the guard on duty said, sticking his arm out. Rosemarie looked up, anger in her eyes.

"The barricade was no place for a little boy, but nobody enforced that. The body of my best friend is beyond you, and I intend to go and see him." The guard looked at Rosemarie before lowering his arm. Rosemarie walked past him and straight forward.

Gavroche's body was right in the middle of the bodies. His face had been washed and his wound had been cleaned. If Rosemarie hadn't known better, she would have thought he was asleep. Kneeling, she reached forward and stroked his hair.

"_And little people know when little people fight," _Rosemarie sang softly. Tears rolled off the end of her nose and onto the medal that had been pinned onto Gavroche's chest. _"We may look easy pickings but we got some bite! So never kick a dog because he's just a pup, we'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up! So you better run for cover_ _when the pup grows up."_

Rosemarie inhaled deeply, her lungs not used to the outdoor air. A hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up into the eyes of Gavroche.

"I didn't win," he said softly. His voice had an angelic ring to it, and he seemed brighter than usual.

"It's alright," Rosemarie smiled weakly. "I can forgive you just this once." She held out her hand and Gavroche took it, pulling her to her feet. Rosemarie grabbed onto his shoulders to keep herself steady.

"Are you ready to come with me?" Gavroche asked. His eyes had a light in them that Rosemarie had never seen before.

"Where are we going?" she asked. She felt lightheaded and dizzy.

"Think of it as a kind of medicine for your illness. You won't be sick anymore," Rosemarie smiled at her best friend.

"If I go with you, what will happen to my mother?" Rosemarie asked softly. Her lungs fought against her illness, trying to grow accustomed to the outside air. Breathing became harder. "Will she know that I am with you?"

"She knows that you're gonna come with me sooner or later. Someone will tell her the second we leave. She'll know where you are, and she'll be upset that you left, but she'll survive."

"Am I dying, Gavroche?" The question escaped before she could hold it in. It was the only reason Gavroche would be standing beside her now. It was the only reason her lungs screamed for air and her head spun, releasing its grasp on surroundings. The boy nodded his head slowly.

"I don't want this for you, Rosie. Not now anyway. I understand if you don't wanna go with me."

"Of course I want to go with you, Gavroche. I'm ready to go," Rosemarie said eagerly. Her voice was weak and it was becoming harder to stand, so she allowed herself to kneel again. Gavroche's hand rested on her shoulder while the other stroked her hair. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

"Let's go, Rosie," Gavroche said quietly. Rosemarie opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. Her head was no longer spinning. Everything was clear. Rosemarie could breathe freely, her illness no longer controlling her lungs. She stood, surprised to find that she could stand without problem. Gavroche held out his hand and Rosemarie clasped it in her own.

"Will we be together forever now, Gavroche?" she asked. Her voice now held the same angelic tone that Gavroche's did. A look at her free hand told Rosemarie that she also had the strange bright glow.

"Forever," Gavroche smiled. "I promise, and this time, it's a promise that I can keep." Gavroche squeezed Rosemarie's hand lightly and the two walked down the streets of Paris. Behind them, Rosemarie could hear guards shouting at one another about a collapsed child, but that didn't matter to her. She was with Gavroche now, and finally, she would be happy.

_**~XoXo~**_

**AN: I couldn't type in Gavroche's accent because it's just too hard to think what he's going to say, give it the accent, and spell it out. Like I said above, there might be slight variations from the musical/movie productions, so I'm sorry if anything was too far off. **


End file.
